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National Vital Statistics Reports :... Jan 2023Objectives-This report presents 2021 data on U.S. births according to a variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics...
Objectives-This report presents 2021 data on U.S. births according to a variety of characteristics. Trends in fertility patterns and maternal and infant characteristics are described and interpreted.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Adolescent; Humans; United States; Maternal Age; Pregnancy in Adolescence; Birth Rate; Birth Certificates; Parturition
PubMed: 36723449
DOI: No ID Found -
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Dec 2019It is believed that giving birth in an upright position is beneficial for both mother and the infant for several physiologic reasons. An upright positioning helps the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
It is believed that giving birth in an upright position is beneficial for both mother and the infant for several physiologic reasons. An upright positioning helps the uterus to contract more strongly and efficiently, the baby gets in a better position and thus can pass through the pelvis faster. Upright and lateral positions enables flexibility in the pelvis and facilitates the extension of the outlet. Before implementing a change in birthing positions in our clinics we need to review evidences available and context valid related to duration of second stage of labor and birthing positions. Therefore this review aimed to examine the effect of maternal flexible sacrum birth position on duration of second stage of labor.
METHOD
The research searched articles using bibliographical Databases: Medline/PUBMED, SCOPUS, Google scholar and Google. All study designs were considered while investigating the impact of maternal flexible sacrum birthing positioning in relation duration of second stage of labor. Studies including laboring mothers with normal labor and delivery. A total of 1985 women were included in the reviewed studies. We included both qualitative and quantitative analysis.
RESULTS
We identified 1680 potential citations, of which 8 articles assessed the effect of maternal upright birth positioning on the reduction during the duration of second stage of labor. Two studies were excluded because of incomplete reports for meta analysis. The result suggested a reduction in duration of second stage of labor among women in a flexible sacrum birthing position, with a mean duration from 3.2-34.8. The pooled weighted mean difference with random effect model was 21.118(CI: 11.839-30.396) minutes, with the same significant heterogeneity between the studies (I = 96.8%, p < 000).
CONCLUSION
The second stage duration was reduced in cases of a flexible sacrum birthing position. Even though the reduction in duration varies across studies with considerable heterogeneity, laboring women should be encouraged to choose her comfortable birth position. Researchers who aim to compare different birthing positions should consider study designs which enable women to choose birthing position. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: [CRD42019120618].
Topics: Female; Humans; Labor Stage, Second; Parturition; Patient Positioning; Posture; Pregnancy; Sacrum; Time Factors
PubMed: 31801479
DOI: 10.1186/s12884-019-2620-0 -
Health (London, England : 1997) Mar 2022Birth narratives have been found to provide women with the most accessible and often utilised means for giving voice to their exploration of meaning in their births. The...
Birth narratives have been found to provide women with the most accessible and often utilised means for giving voice to their exploration of meaning in their births. The stories women tell of their birth come out of their pre- and post-experience bodies, reproducing society through the sharing of cultural meanings. I recruited a selection of 20 birth stories from a popular 'mums' Internet forum in the United Kingdom. Using structural and thematic analyses, I set out to explore how women tell the story of their body in childbirth. This project has contributed evidence to the discussion of women's experiences of subjectivity in the discursive landscape of birth, while uncovering previously unacknowledged sites of resistance. The linguistic restrictions, sustained by the neoliberal control mechanisms on society and the self, act to shape the reality, feelings, and expressions of birthing women. Naming these silencing strategies, as I have done through the findings of this project, and celebrating women's discourse on birth, as the explosion of birth stories across the Internet are doing, offer bold moves to challenge the muting status quo of women in birth. Reclaiming women's language for birth and working to create a new vocabulary encapsulating the experiences of birthing women will also present opportunities for the issue of birth and women's experiences of it to occupy greater political space with a confident and decisive voice.
Topics: Delivery, Obstetric; Female; Humans; Internet; Narration; Parturition; Pregnancy; United Kingdom
PubMed: 32486867
DOI: 10.1177/1363459320925866 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2022Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries account for nearly 30% of births annually with emergency C-sections accounting for 7-9% of all births. Studies have linked...
Caesarean section (C-section) deliveries account for nearly 30% of births annually with emergency C-sections accounting for 7-9% of all births. Studies have linked C-sections to postpartum depression (PPD). PPD is linked to reduced quality of parent-child interaction, and adverse effects on maternal and child health. New mothers' perceptions of more negative childbirth experiences, such as unplanned/emergency C-sections, are linked to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which in turn is related to PPD. Our objectives were to determine: (1) the association between C-section type (unplanned/emergency vs. planned) and PPD symptoms, and (2) if postnatal PTSD symptoms mediate this association. Employing secondary analysis of prospectively collected data from 354 mother-child dyads between 2009 and 2013 from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study, conditional process modeling was employed. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) were administered at three months postpartum, to assess for postpartum depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms. The direct effect of emergency C-section on PPD symptoms was non-significant in adjusted and non-adjusted models; however, the indirect effect of emergency C-section on PPD symptoms with PTSD symptoms as a mediator was significant after controlling for prenatal depression symptoms, social support, and SES (β = 0.17 ( = 0.11), 95% CI [0.03, 0.42]). This suggests that mothers who experienced an emergency or unplanned C-section had increased PTSD scores of nearly half a point (0.47) compared to mothers who underwent a planned C-section, even after adjustment. Overall, emergency C-section was indirectly associated with PPD symptoms, through PTSD symptoms. Findings suggest that PTSD symptoms may be a mechanism through which emergency C-sections are associated with the development of PPD symptoms.
Topics: Cesarean Section; Depression; Depression, Postpartum; Female; Humans; Mothers; Parturition; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
PubMed: 35457767
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19084900 -
La Clinica Terapeutica 2020Childbirth education classes are antenatal support services offered to pregnant women or to the couple, aimed at increasing their knowledge regarding pregnancy, labour,... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Childbirth education classes are antenatal support services offered to pregnant women or to the couple, aimed at increasing their knowledge regarding pregnancy, labour, delivery, breastfeeding, parenthood and newborn care.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of Birthing Classes through the analysis of the occurrence of C-section, epidural analgesia, behavior during labor and delivery of the women who participated to the course as compared to those who did not attend it. Moreover, the level of satisfaction of pregnant women who attended the course was measured with a questionnaire of 20 items handed out after the delivery.
METHODS
To measure the satisfaction level of pregnant women, in the period from February 2017 to October 2017, a questionnaire of 20 items was used. In order to analyze the results of the births the medical records were consulted.
RESULTS
In the period of time going from February 2017 to October 2017 there were 147 women who have delivered and who have filled in the questionnaire. According to the multivariable analysis, there were no differences in the frequency of C-sections between the two groups (OR=0.8, 95%CI=0.3-1.7, p=0.503), whereas the frequency of epidural analgesia was lower in women who attended the Birthing Class (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.1-0.9, p=0.036). We also observed that women who attended the Birthing Class: 1) had a higher likelihood of using breathing techniques during the labor (OR=5.5, 95%CI=1.5-20.0, p=0.009); 2) had a higher likelihood of taking advantage of the visualization exercises during the labor (OR=2.5, 95%CI=1.1-6.0, p=0.039). There was no other relevant difference between the two groups.
DISCUSSION
The benefits of perinatal education are difficult to evaluate systematically, and further research would be required to determine real effects and agree upon reliable indicators of effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS
This study identified several positive factors that confirm the results of other studies indicating that antenatal classes are effective for women giving birth for the first time/nulliparous women, based on an analysis of childbirth outcomes, in order to improve maternal and neonatal health.
Topics: Adult; Analgesia, Epidural; Cesarean Section; Female; Humans; Italy; Labor, Obstetric; Middle Aged; Parturition; Patient Education as Topic; Pregnancy; Pregnant Women; Prenatal Education; Program Evaluation; Young Adult
PubMed: 31850489
DOI: 10.7417/CT.2020.2193 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2019Although identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global health priority, maternal mental health does not receive much attention even in the health systems...
Although identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global health priority, maternal mental health does not receive much attention even in the health systems of developed countries. With pregnancy monitoring protocols placing priority on the physical health of the mother, there is a paucity of literature documenting the traumatising effects of the birth process. To address this knowledge gap, this qualitative descriptive study aimed to investigate women perceptions of living a traumatic childbirth experience and the factors related to it. Qualitative data, collected via semi-structured interviews with 32 participants recruited from parent support groups and social media in Spain, were analyzed through a six-phase inductive thematic analysis. Data analysis revealed five major themes-"Birth Plan Compliance", "Obstetric Problems", "Mother-Infant Bond", "Emotional Wounds" and "Perinatal Experiences"-and 13 subthemes. The majority of responses mentioned feelings of being un/misinformed by healthcare personnel, being disrespected and objectified, lack of support, and various problems during childbirth and postpartum. Fear, loneliness, traumatic stress, and depression were recurrent themes in participants' responses. As the actions of healthcare personnel can substantially impact a birth experience, the study findings strongly suggest the need for proper policies, procedures, training, and support to minimise negative consequences of childbirth.
Topics: Adult; Delivery, Obstetric; Fear; Female; Humans; Mothers; Parturition; Pregnancy; Qualitative Research; Spain
PubMed: 31085980
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16091654 -
Placenta Dec 2020Preterm birth is a serious global health problem that affects 5-18% of pregnancies worldwide. In addition to being the major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity,... (Review)
Review
Preterm birth is a serious global health problem that affects 5-18% of pregnancies worldwide. In addition to being the major cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity, preterm birth is associated with short term and long term complications in the offspring. Despite this, the causes and pathogenesis of preterm birth remain unclear. Neutrophils are innate immune cells that infiltrate the maternal-fetal interface during normal parturition and their accumulation is dramatically increased during preterm birth, especially in the presence of an infection. Indeed, a defining feature of chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the chorioamnionic fetal membranes) that is associated with more than 40% of preterm births, is neutrophil accumulation. While these cells may play an important role during normal term parturition as well as preterm birth, their functions at the maternal-fetal interface are unclear. This review will provide a broad overview of the relevant studies to enable a better understanding of the roles of neutrophils during normal parturition and preterm birth.
Topics: Female; Humans; Neutrophils; Parturition; Pregnancy; Premature Birth
PubMed: 33218572
DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.12.010 -
Laeknabladid Sep 2019
Topics: Female; Home Childbirth; Humans; Parturition; Perinatal Care; Pregnancy
PubMed: 31482860
DOI: 10.17992/lbl.2019.09.244 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2023
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Infant, Newborn; Humans; Premature Birth; Parturition; Obstetric Labor, Premature; Delivery, Obstetric
PubMed: 37082127
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1179856 -
Women and Birth : Journal of the... Sep 2023When midwives offer birth assistance at home birth and free-standing birth centres, they must adapt their skill set. Currently, there are no comprehensive insights on... (Review)
Review
PROBLEM
When midwives offer birth assistance at home birth and free-standing birth centres, they must adapt their skill set. Currently, there are no comprehensive insights on the skills and knowledge that midwives need to work in those settings.
BACKGROUND
Midwifery care at home birth and in free-standing birth centres requires context specific skills, including the ability to offer low-intervention care for women who choose physiological birth in these settings.
AIM
To synthesise existing qualitative research that describes the skills and knowledge of certified midwives at home births and free-standing birth centres.
STUDY DESIGN
We conducted a systematic review that included searches on 5 databases, author runs, citation tracking, journal searches, and reference checking. Meta-ethnographic techniques of reciprocal translation were used to interpret the data set, and a line of argument synthesis was developed.
RESULTS
The search identified 13 papers, twelve papers from seven countries, and one paper that included five Nordic countries. Three overarching themes and seven sub-themes were developed: 'Building trustworthy connections,' 'Midwife as instrument,' and 'Creating an environment conducive to birth.'
CONCLUSION
The findings highlight that midwives integrated their sensorial experiences with their clinical knowledge of anatomy and physiology to care for women at home birth and in free-standing birth centres. The interactive relationship between midwives and women is at the core of creating an environment that supports physiological birth while integrating the lived experience of labouring women. Further research is needed to elicit how midwives develop these proficiencies.
Topics: Pregnancy; Infant, Newborn; Female; Humans; Midwifery; Home Childbirth; Birthing Centers; Parturition; Anthropology, Cultural; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37037696
DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2023.03.010